I met a first time voter today. Not just any first time voter. She is a middle aged woman, an immigrant from South America, who came here several years ago and became a US citizen earlier this year.
She saw my Obama button as I walked through the grocery store on my way to pick up three lemons. As I passed, she grabbed my arm and immediately started to tell me why she also supported Obama. I was in hurry, but the sparkle in her eye as she talked about Obama told me I should listen.
It turns out she knew a lot about both campaigns. She had been listening to both sides closely. The first thing she wanted to say was, “I can’t vote for McCain because he chose a woman who is not very smart to run with him. She doesn’t seem to know anything about anything. And how can he think she is ready to be President? He is an old man…and sick…and he needed to name someone much younger, someone people know about, someone who could help him right away.”
Her voice slowed a bit as she talked about Obama but lost none of its fervor. “Obama seems like a man you can trust. He seems like a man who cares about everybody. Obama seems like a man with a good heart…AND he fills my heart with hope.” I could see a tear starting to well up. “America is the hope of the world; everybody I know wants to come to America. It is the land of opportunity. You can be what you want to be. I love America. “She paused, and then added, “Please tell me Obama will win!”
Clearly she has paid more attention to this race than many Americans who have voted many times.
I told the lady from South America she was not alone in her exuberance. I assured her she was about to vote for a candidate who possessed the personal integrity, raw intellect, life experience and good judgment necessary to lead all of us as President. She liked that. I hope we don’t disappoint her.
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